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Teaching: A Deal or No Deal Decision

By Rachelle Ann A. AbadcloseAuthor: Rachelle Ann A. Abad Name: Rachelle Ann A. Abad
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About: Rachelle Ann A. Abad is a graduate of Bachelor in Secondary Education, major in English. She had her practice teaching in Ateneo de Naga University High School, Philippines. She worked as a Grade 4 teacher for English and Religion in the academic years 2008- 2009 in St. Joseph School, Naga City. In September 2008, she took the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) being the 10th regional placer for the secondary level. Rachelle came from a middle class family in which she is the eldest. She finished as the class valedictorian in high school and cum laude in college. She has been exposed to the different kinds of people through the different outreach programs that she joined. Because of this, she has been inspired by the different elements of the society including the rich and the poor ones. She often reveals in her personal writings the unknown sides of both worlds particularly the apathy and the sentiments of the less fortunate people. As a teacher, it is a trademark among her students that she always reminds them to be at their best. Being an idealist forefront of knowledge, she always pushes her students to their limits because she believes in the undiscovered full potential of each learner. She believes that they should be well guided and well- accepted. At present, she is planning to take her Master’s Degree to open a wider field of opportunities for knowledge and ideals to be passed on the next generations of learners.See Authors Posts (1)

Making a choice on continuing the service for teaching is like choosing the right briefcase in the game show “Deal or No Deal.” The consequence would definitely pour down unto you in an all or nothing game.

The impression that teaching is the exact definition of “boredom” is not true. Let us just assume that a classroom is a party in which the excitement lies on the people involved in it. Well, of course, someone in front who has the total control of the program must initiate this excitement. To have a smooth flow of the event, the tasks of all the

arrangements must be properly designated to the right persons. The sabotage in an event happens when the assigned persons are not willing to perform the task so it is just necessary that the hands-on individuals have the concern for the job.

Next, there must be the appropriate music for a particular group of people. Sophisticated people would not prefer Metallic music inasmuch as punk people would never prefer mellow music. Finally, the ambiance must be well suited to the participants. Clowns playing tricks are not needed in formal gatherings and lecturers are not welcome in children’s parties. The organizer must not forget that most people attend parties to leave behind their worries even just for a while.

Why would we compare teaching to a party? Does it make any sense at all? Of course, it does, not only because I have written the article but also because it shows the change of attitude and perspective towards the craft. The stereotyped teaching can even be compared with a convention in which the omnipotent one preaches about everything that must be done and must not be done. It does not allow someone to show off his or her real personality because everyone is caged in the imposed standards that no one ever knew who set before them.

It is a common principle that teaching is dynamic inasmuch as the people involved are also dynamic. Therefore, we, teachers, must be able to device ways to deviate from the monotony of reading-questioning-answering-grading routine. We may be unaware of it but we are also the ones who establish the idea of boredom, laziness, and apathy among our students. The strategies and principles that we learned in school must not only be imprisoned in books or on reflection papers. It is beyond that.

We have the total control of everything in the classroom so why not use that autonomy to encourage fun- learning among the innocent angels before us. How would we do that? It would not cost so much to allot at least an hour to prepare the lesson, another 30 minutes for the materials, another 20 minutes to think about their interests to be related to the lesson, and the last 30 minutes to device the activities to bring into play.

Nonetheless, we must not also take for granted the fact that the creatures in front of us have different personalities that have to be respected. We must never impose on them what they must be. Rather, if they are against the right track, we must guide them by showing them the consequences of their actions without disparaging their characters. Most teachers fail to realize that the more they try to point out the inadequacies of the children, the more that the little angels believe that they cannot do anything right. As a result, they believe that they are really craps of failures who are not given the chance to improve themselves and who are bound to be doomed forever.

Going beyond the idea of idealism, let us admit that we also fail to change the ways of our students. We cannot totally change them but at least we can try. At least, we can improve their good behaviors. We always preach to them that we must always look at the goodness of the person. As teachers, we must act it out. We can never give them what we do not have.

Not everyone understands that children can also feel. The mere idea that they have their misbehaviors means that they need more attention that they might not get at home. Teachers are considered to be second parents so why would we reinforce their negative impressions about themselves with the continuous nagging, blaming, and yelling at them.

Being a teacher is a package deal. Take all the best and worst experiences or do not take the challenge at all. Yet, only cowards never try. If we take the plunge, we must accept different kinds of positive and harsh feedback, but the best reward is indeed priceless. No one understands how teachers feel when they see their students change because of them. No one understands how teachers feel when they see the victories of students who try especially when they have given up all their hopes to move on. No one understands how teachers feel when students tell them that they are the best teachers and they will never forget them.

Everything is just a matter of perspective. Teaching is life and unless we change our views about this craft, we must then burn our license to make the world a better place to live in.